Living in a man-made experimental city, many Grass-type Pokémon had lost the threats they once faced in the wild.
Under such circumstances, watching battles between Trainers had become a form of entertainment.
Of course, there were a select few who watched with genuine focus.
These Pokémon caught Nathan's attention—if all went well, his next Pokémon would come from among them.
On the battlefield, one match after another continued to unfold.
"Pangoro, the opponent will strike from the left! You can't dodge it—use Iron Body!"
Seeing the opposing Pidgeot diving from above, a gleam flashed in Nathan's eyes as he gave the command.
"Roar!"
With a roar, Pangoro instinctively followed Nathan's instructions.
After activating Iron Body, its right arm hardened dramatically and directly blocked Pidgeot's sharp talons!
"Seize the opportunity—take it down!"
Nathan gave the command in a low voice, not calling for a move.
In these never-ending rotation battles, refraining from using named moves had nearly become second nature to Pangoro.
"Roar!"
With another low growl, Pangoro clenched its left fist and slammed it straight at the Pidgeot!
"Pi!"
Pidgeot screeched in alarm. It had wanted to fly away but found its claw firmly gripped by Pangoro!
"No matter how many times I watch it, it's still incredible. That Pidgeot and its Trainer were completely seen through!"
"Yeah, that kind of battlefield awareness only comes from countless battles. What kind of environment did this kid grow up in?!"
Despite Pangoro appearing quite fatigued—its stamina, strength, and even speed all declining—it still managed to defeat the evasive Pidgeot under Nathan's command.
Many Trainers once again looked at Nathan differently.
This wasn't something talent alone could achieve.
From weak to strong, a Pokémon's growth is often influenced heavily by its Trainer's talent.
But when it comes to high-level battles, the Trainer's own strength becomes just as important!
Tactics, insight, adaptability...
These are all qualities evaluated not just in national tournaments, but at the levels of Elite Trainers and even Champion-tier Trainers.
Before reaching that level, an Elite Trainer only needed to know how to survive in dangerous wild zones or secret realms.
And now, right after defeating Pidgeot, Pangoro's aura suddenly shifted!
"It broke through—to the Elite level!"
Seeing the number 51 on the display, a wide grin spread across Nathan's face.
"You've worked hard, Pangoro!"
"As a reward, you can have whatever you want for dinner tonight!"
"Roar!"
Hearing Nathan's words, Pangoro let out two excited roars.
It didn't speak, only emotions.
Even without using Viridian Power, Nathan could clearly feel Pangoro's joy and excitement.
"It broke through—it really did!"
"With two Elite-tier Pokémon, this year's national tournament is going to be something else!"
Many Trainers smiled as they looked at the boy and his Pokémon in the arena.
It wasn't out of schadenfreude but genuine goodwill.
Aside from a few nitpickers and sour grapes, most people were actually quite kind to gifted individuals.
After all, powerful Trainers didn't oppress those at the bottom.
On the contrary, they were the ones protecting human cities and standing against Pokémon disasters as devastating as natural catastrophes!
Not to mention, Nathan had shown not just brilliant commanding skills, but also incredible battle experience.
And he came from a humble background!
"Humble" didn't just mean poverty. In reality, families from lower middle class to even poorer backgrounds could all be considered "humble."
They might not worry about food and clothing, but when it came to anything involving Pokémon, they could go bankrupt at the drop of a hat!
Even Nathan's own family was no exception.
Just then, a middle-aged man suddenly stepped into the arena, smiling as he reached out his hand toward Nathan.
"Congratulations, Nathan! At such a young age, to have trained a second Elite-level Pokémon—truly the League's rising star!"
"By the way, I'm Raymond Likor, the head of this experimental city. If you don't mind, just call me Uncle Ray."
Seeing the gentlemanly and friendly smile on Raymond's face, Nathan responded with a modest smile and shook his hand.
"You flatter me, sir. That 'rising star' title is just something others made up—nothing more."
It had to be said: Nathan was like a different person inside and outside of battle.
In combat—calm and rational.
Outside—humble and courteous.
…
"Uncle Ray, may I ask what you wanted to see me about?"
After the polite exchange, Nathan casually asked.
Raymond didn't mind Nathan's relaxed tone. In fact, he smiled even more.
Glancing around, Raymond shook his head and said, "This isn't the best place to talk."
"I know a nice restaurant. Why don't we eat and chat there?"
Raymond didn't even need to say anything more—just the mention of food made Nathan realize how hungry he was.
Battling as a Trainer wasn't just about giving verbal commands.
On the contrary, all those impressive plays were a form of mental exertion!
And compared to physical labor, mental labor often drained stamina even faster.
That's why some sickly Trainers couldn't even make it through a full 6v6 match at higher levels.
"Of course! In fact, I'd be more than happy to."
Nathan smiled and nodded.
He was really hungry now.
They arrived at a Western restaurant, and as soon as the food hit the table, Nathan devoured it.
"Tastes great. It'd be even better if I had five more servings!"
Patting his stomach, Nathan sighed.
Western restaurants had everything: fancy decorations, excellent service, artful plating—like a finely composed symphony.
But to Nathan, eating was eating. If you weren't full, it didn't count.
"Haha, I'll order a few more servings for you."
Watching Nathan scarf down his meal while his own steak was only a third gone, Raymond laughed heartily, for reasons he didn't explain.
"Oh right, Uncle Ray—why bring me to a Western restaurant specifically?"
While waiting for more food, Nathan couldn't help asking.
In both his past life and the present world, the best food was almost always Celestial Star cuisine.
And business or formal conversations were usually held in Celestial Star restaurants.
Some people claimed Celestial Star food wasn't 'classy,' but that's just because they couldn't afford the high-end stuff.
Just one fish dish at a luxury Celestial Star restaurant could cost thousands, even tens of thousands.
"Well, it's not ideal. The city still hasn't opened up fully to the public, so most people here are Trainers."
"The only one willing to open a restaurant was a Western chef who immigrated here."
Raymond shrugged with a helpless expression.
If he had the choice, he'd love to take Nathan out for a proper Celestial Star meal too.
But this was the reality.
Very few Trainers were willing to get into business.
And skilled Celestial Star chefs took years of training.
Nathan nodded in understanding as the next round of food finally arrived.
At this moment, Raymond glanced at Nathan, seemingly hesitant to speak, then finally said:
"Nathan, the Pokémon Leauge probably hasn't contacted you yet, but the punks you encountered in Emerald City—they've confessed."
"They were indeed part of Dark Spirit Organization. The people behind them escaped before the League's investigators could catch them..."
"So... could you please hand over the recipe for the Pokeblocks?"
Halfway through his sentence, Raymond's face suddenly twisted into a sinister expression.
The "waiters" surrounding them—all Pokémon—simultaneously launched an attack on Nathan!
It wasn't lethal. They used Vine Whip, clearly trying to bind him.
"Volcarona—take them down."
Unshaken, Nathan calmly issued the order.
With a wave of warmth, Volcarona emerged from its Pokéball, flames entwined around its wings.
Floating behind Nathan, it was both beautiful and regal.
"Vol!"
Letting out a cold cry, the fire around Volcarona incinerated the vines without mercy.
"Hahaha, it's useless. We've been observing you since yesterday."
"Your main battle Pokémon all trained heavily this morning. That Pangoro of yours may have reached Elite level, but it's completely exhausted!"
"Hand over the secret to the Pokeblocks, or we'll be forced to use... other means!"
Raymond sneered arrogantly, basking in his perceived control.
What he loved most was watching gifted Trainers beg for mercy.
Why?
Why should a mere high schooler catch up to what took him over ten years of hard work?
Jealousy had long twisted Raymond's mind. He had joined the Dark Spirit Organization years ago.
An ordinary person, faced with a situation like this, might have been paralyzed with fear.
They'd either submit or die trying to resist—there was no third option.
But Nathan remained calm, staring coldly at Raymond.
"Who told you I was really training Volcarona this morning?"
"Just so you know—Volcarona had already mastered Fire Dance. This morning was just a warm-up."
"Surprised?"
Ever since seeing Fian yesterday, Nathan had known something was off!
…
(TN: Change Fire Storm to Fire Dance.)